PUPPY/NEW DOG CHECKLIST
- Commitment, Compassion and Consistency
- Patience, Understanding and Realistic expectations
- A clean bill of health from breeder, vet, shelter, rescue – heart, lungs, hips, eyes, what’s longevity index
- A clean & green home – void of toxins, smoke, tensions, air fresheners.
- Familiarize yourself w/ K9 wellness – nutrition, min vax, positive environment, K9 emotional health
- Create a wellness team – YOU must be dog’s healthcare advocate! Holistic Vet AHVMA.org
- Find a well-rounded, positive reward-based dog trainer – qualified K9 expert w/ min 500 hours
- Relationship based rearing / Mirror / Energy – people & household/ Mindfulness / Self Awareness
- Time – giving of your time is a gift. Connect with your dog and enjoy him/her
- Dogs are our wisest teachers – watch take notes. Spend quality time w/ your dog
- Be present and engaged with your dog – Step away from all devices and enjoy the moment w/ your dog
- Provide your dog w/ a sense of purpose. Job = purpose = mental/physical stimulation = tired = happy dog
- Recognize stress in your dog and remove it – being left alone, yelling, toxic environment, etc.
- Take your dog on “scent walks” – allow them to check their email/texts
- Species Appropriate whole food – Raw is the best. Other options – freeze dried raw /dehydrated raw
- Raw fermented milk, fish, eggs, organ meats!
- Healthy Treats / real food for learning – No Nyla or Rawhide Bones!
- Flat food plates and glass water glass water bowls – open view feeding that’s natural & safe
- Bottled or Filtered Water!
- Kong Toys – Size should change as pup grows. Use this OFTEN!
- Bait bag – fanny pack to hold real food. Timing is everything. Don’t miss out on training opportunities
- Healthy natural Chews – Raw Bones, Split Elk Antlers, Kongs,
- Bully Sticks from Only Natural Pet (ONP, Grass Fed, Bully Stick, USA Grass Fed)
- Allow your dog to get dirty/dig in clean dirt – how good bacteria supports their microbiome / Immune Syst
- Wire Crate with partition (a varied travel kennel is NOT a crate)
- Buckle collar & lead to hold I.D tag … NEVER metal choke chains or Prong collars. No Flexi leashes
- Identification Tag!! (A Must!) and a Microchip (?) name, numbers
- Compostable poop bags
- Avoid toxins – there are effective alternatives to Frontline
- Always supervised. Never Allowed outside alone or inside unsupervised. Resist micromanaging
- Allow to make choices and forage … self-select
- A small / quiet territory – too much room is overwhelming and stressful for a dog
- Impulse control – more important than any cue you’ll teach
- Use hand signals – your dog does not speak English. They do read body language
- Humane / Positive Training. Soft hands and gentle voice
- Dogs avoid conflict at all costs – stop yourself if you are going down the road of reprimanding
- Praise everything your dog does “right”. Catch them offering acceptable behavior. Say YES not NO!
- Repeat Praise everything your dog does “right”. Catch them offering acceptable behavior. Say YES not NO!
- A Calm House – de-escalate things when necessary and avoid stressful situations
- Reduce stress – stress leads to a weakened immune system which leads to chronic disease
- 21/90 – It takes 21 days to create a new behavior and 90 day to create a habit
- Work on canine appropriate BITE INHIBITION now till approximately 5 months
- Early SOCIALIZATION well before 6 months and thru to 3 years
- Play games with fun and fair rules – and don’t be your dog’s chew toy
- Integrate learning rather than have “training sessions” that are borrrrrring
- Integrative fun, play learning and Consistency
- Start the way you mean to go – ie: If you don’t want a jumping dog, don’t encourage it now
- Follow through with everything you say/do. Lack of it causes confusion and impedes learning
- Recognize and meet your dog’s needs – Mind Body and Spirit
- Realistic Expectations. Unrealistic ones will cause your dog (and you) stress
- Dogs are your mirror – exercise self-awareness
- A Sense of Humor and check your ego at the door
- Be present and self- aware – your dog is
- Kindness – When you have the chance be kind. You ALWAYS have the chance
- Understanding – It’s a tall order for dogs to live with humans
- Patience – It’s the companion to wisdom. Observe your dogs … they’re our best teachers
- Life lessons – there are countless ones that your dog will teach you
Maggie and Australian Kelpie/ 30-year-old dog lived on a dairy farm and drank raw goat milk daily. She was allowed to be a dog. Her mannerly behaviors were reinforced, and her natural canine ways were never suppressed. She had a job to do every day which provided her with mental and physical stimulation as well as giving her a sense of purpose and joy. Most of us don’t live on a dairy farm with our dogs but we CAN help our dogs THRIVE like Maggie IF we make the shift and offer what nature intended.